how to draw 3d by pencil
Pencil drawing techniques: Pro tips to sharpen your skills
These pencil cartoon techniques from top artists will assistance you accept your drawing skills to the adjacent level, whether y'all're using graphite pencil or coloured pencils.
For many artists, pencil drawing is the skill that introduced them to the art world, and even if y'all've moved on to a different medium, agreement how to draw with a pencil can help you improve your skills elsewhere. These pencil cartoon techniques cover everything from the basics of marker-making to advanced processes to push you out of your comfort zone.
We'll likewise offering advice on the tools and materials you need to know, such as blending stumps, paper options, and different erasers. For some actress inspiration, check out the near unbelievably realistic pencil drawings we've ever seen.
Curt on fourth dimension? The video above, from character designer Bobby Chiu, runs through some pencil cartoon techniques in action. For more than in-depth advice on limerick to how to capture light and shadow, have a look at our art techniques article, for practical buying advice see our guides to the all-time pencils and best pencil sharpeners. Or, for inspiration, take a look at this roundup of unbelievably realistic pencil drawings.
Pencil drawing techniques
01. Use the correct grip
The first step is to principal how to concord a pencil correctly. Chiu recommends holding the pencil similar you could a slice of charcoal, and using the side of the pb to draw, rather than the point. This helps keep the pencil sharper for longer.
"When covering big areas, I shade with my pencil perpendicular to the line I'm cartoon to become wide, soft lines," he adds. "For details, I agree my pencil parallel to my lines to get sharp, narrow marks. The only fourth dimension I apply the point is when I'm working on intricate details."
"It is important to consider where you are making your mark from – fingers, wrist or shoulder," adds artist Jake Spicer.
02. Consider your lines
The kind of marks you're making will shape the feel and look of your pencil cartoon. Things like how fast yous draw a line and the weight y'all put into a stroke will alter the look of the line. "A heavy line is dark and definite; a lightly drawn line is pale and exploratory," says Spicer. "When you are starting out, try to avoid uncertain, feathery marks."
03. Starting time with an underdrawing
Many artists prefer to offset their pencil cartoon by laying out the scene with a rough, light underdrawing – this tin can exist especially useful if the end game is a precise line drawing. "Having a more fluid foundation helps you run across the end result without the intimidating commitment of getting everything perfect," says artist Timothy von Reuden.
For a pencil underdrawing, make sure yous apply a hard lead (around 2H) to ensure the lines are light and easy to erase. Alternatively, you lot could use a digital underdrawing, printed at 1 per cent Opacity. Either way, make sure this acts as a foundation rather than a strict guide. "I strongly believe in letting intuition take over in the creation process, so I piece of work with the underdrawing more as a guideline," continues Von Reuden.
04. Work left-to-right
Pencils are prone to smudging, and the softer they are, the more difficult information technology is to keep things clean. Yet, planning which area of the composition you work on first can assist. Essentially you don't want to be resting your hand on areas you've already fatigued, which means that unless you have an unusual pencil grip, yous want to be working top to bottom. And then right-handers should piece of work left to right, and lefties motility right to left.
05. Attempt a bullheaded contour cartoon
Ane common practice to start out with is blind contour drawing. "Gear up a subject field in front of yous and fix your eye on the top of information technology, placing your pencil on your paper. Without looking downward at the paper, trace your eye around your field of study, following its edges and contours, and equally you practise then, permit your pencil follow the same journeying on the paper," explains Spicer. "Draw in a single, unbroken line and don't await back at the cartoon until yous are finished."
The result will look odd and incorrect, simply that's not a problem. The aim of this is to aid yous draw confidently and unselfconsciously, and it's a great way to overcome a fear of staring at a blank page. "Repeat the exercise regularly as a warm upwards to get your paw working together with your center," suggests Spicer.
You tin can adapt the exercise by flicking your eye downwardly to the page at regular intervals, and trying to adjust your line way and weight to accurately draw what you see (you're still using 1, unbroken line). "Don't aim for precisely accurate proportion, instead aim for an honest process of looking and mark making, without overthinking the drawing," he concludes.
06. Vary line thickness
Varying the thickness of the line y'all use help guide your viewer through your drawing, explains Von Reuden. Thicker lines can help indicate importance, or tell the viewer that something is in the foreground of the scene. They can besides be used to distinguish between 2 separate, overlapping objects – a thicker line on the outside of an object an aid differentiate the outside lines of the subject field matter from the lines that represent the details within.
In the example to a higher place, yous tin can run across how different line weights tin exist combined to make a course announced more three-dimensional.
07. Mix up shading techniques
There are lots of different pencil drawing techniques relating to shading. Chiu uses two primary approaches. The first is with all the lines going in the same direction. "This makes my shading announced more cohesive, and helps my details pop out from the lines I'm using for shading," he explains.
The 2d method involves working in patches of shading, to help ascertain shape. "Patches of lines become effectually the form, which help keep things in perspective," he says. This technique is likewise dandy for backgrounds and creating texture.
08. With detail work, control your lines
If you're working on a detailed area, be wary of your pencil line. "When it comes to creating cleaner and tighter line work, staying consistent is key," says Von Reuden. "Non simply should y'all be aware of the wait of your line merely also the pressure you're applying to the pencil and on the paper. Be actively enlightened at this stage and don't rush it." He suggests regularly stepping back to check the overall effect of your piece of work, and ensure you lot're keeping your line steady throughout.
09. Master blending
United states of america-based artist Jennifer Healy has a specific process for blending her coloured pencil work. She starts with an outline, to check the course is correct before committing to coloured pencil (it's much harder to erase coloured-in areas than an outline). It as well helps her plan where the highlights and shadows volition fall.
She so builds upwardly color using subtle layers. "I similar to offset out with soft gentle layers to gain a better thought of lighting placement, shadows and the colour palette," she says. After each layer she blends gently using the blending stump.
One time she has reached a stage she'due south happy with, she moves on to the terminal footstep: adding an outline. For this final layer, Healy uses coloured pencils alone, and does non blend with a stump.
10. Showtime lightly and build from there
"When I get-go cartoon, I plan and explore using loose lines, and avoid committing too early on with hard, dark lines," says Chiu. "Every bit I progress my lines will change, so checking and rechecking my work is vital. I darken my lines and add together details at the finish. I don't focus on one area for also long to prevent overdrawing."
11. Clean upward after yourself
Your eraser can be just equally of import as the pencil itself. At that place are a few different types (see the Tools section for more on this), but whichever yous cull you want to make sure it's close to hand whenever yous're working. "Whenever a line gets too thick, I either erase the entire line or try to line up the eraser edge to slim down the existing line," says Von Reuden. "I like to clean upwardly during the unabridged process and at the finish practice a concluding sweep to brand sure I didn't miss an area before calling it washed."
12. Check and recheck
Before you move on to stronger lines and item work, information technology's essential to make sure you lot have the right course down. Chiu's advice is to check and check once again. "I have to boom down my cartoon's underpinnings before I tin add together details. I really avert guessing at the details; I want to make sure things are symmetrical and wait correct before putting down stronger and harder lines."
He also suggests looking at your work in a mirror or through a camera. Considering different vantage points is a great way to highlight if annihilation is off. "I constantly ask myself, does this feel right? If annihilation seems off – even if I tin't immediately put my finger on what it is – I trust my gut and troubleshoot my cartoon before continuing."
13. Know when to end
The majority of artists accept a trend to tinker with their work – even after they've signed their name. "I can ever discover something to change if I look hard plenty, so it tin can exist difficult to tell when a piece is truly finished," says Chiu.
Notwithstanding, exist wary of overworking your piece. "Eventually, I make a conscious conclusion to put my drawing away and start something new," he continues. "That's when I consider my drawing washed. Well, maybe..."
Use the right tools
14. Pick the correct pencil
The pencil you choose will have a big impact on both the techniques you can utilize and the expect of your find artwork. Different pencil types are better for unlike styles of artwork, and you also need to consider the hardness of your lead.
Traditional graphite pencils are available in a scale of hardness from 9H (hard, pale) to 9B (soft, nighttime), with HB and F sitting the middle of the range. "Typically, the H grades are suited to technical drawing, while B grades are ideal sketching pencils," explains Spicer. He suggests a 2B or 3B pencil is a practiced place to beginning with general pencil drawings.
Then you need to pick the type of pencil. Traditional graphite pencils tend to round out quickly, and so need regular sharpening to produce a consistent-sized tip. The softer your pencil, the more than sharpening you'll demand to do. Traditional pencils are peachy for shading, specially larger areas.
The other main option is a mechanical pencil (see our guide to the best mechanical pencils for drawing). These offer clean, crisp edges, and are improve at maintaining a consistent line. You don't need to sharpen them, either. If yous're creating a large artwork, bear in mind that a mechanical pencil tin can slow the drawing procedure. For a more in-depth look at your options, take a look at our guide to the best pencils.
fifteen. Sharpen correctly
"Some drawings require a fine, sharp signal for pinning down a crisp line, others a broad, flat side to the pencil lead for blocking in tone. Sometimes, a blunt indicate can serve your purposes," says Spicer. "Whatever your preference, ensure you always have a sharpener on hand."
Once more, in that location are a few options here. Choose between a regular handheld sharpener (portable, like shooting fish in a barrel to use), a desk-mounted helical sharpener (typically longer-lasting, and volition grind the pencil to a longer bespeak) or a craft knife (get the signal y'all desire, merely there'southward some danger of slicing your fingers off).
xvi. Protect your paper
This is a valuable pencil drawing technique for beginners: put a piece of paper under my paw to avoid smudging your drawing while you're working. Information technology seems obvious, but it tin can be the downfall of a keen piece of work!
Healy also prefers to mountain her paper on a lath, attaching information technology using a layer of matte medium. This helps keep things neat, and provides a solid surface to work on.
17. Explore unlike paper textures
The surface texture you're working on will make a large difference to the effects you lot can create. This is referred to as the grain or 'tooth' of the newspaper. A rough tooth is more visible, and the ridges will grip the colour from your pencils.
With a shine tooth, the ridges are very fine, and at that place's less grip. Healy finds this kind of paper provides an easier surface for blending coloured pencils, although she warns that it's also like shooting fish in a barrel to run the colour off the surface.
18. Invest in a putty eraser
At that place are a few dissimilar types of eraser, and each is suited to different things. Many pencils have a modest eraser head, which is ideal for thinning out lines that go too thick. Even so, don't rely on this lonely: you'll also want to invest in a kneaded eraser. This has a putty-like consistency (it'due south sometimes called a putty eraser), and you lot knead it before and after use.
"A kneaded eraser is best for lightly picking upwards the coloured pencil binding off the paper. This works wonders when correcting mistakes, or if y'all're deliberately lifting colour from an expanse such equally the eyes," says Healy. A gum eraser has a more solid consistency, and is meliorate if you lot're trying to fully erase a coloured-in area.
xix. Try a stump for soft blending
How you lot blend your piece of work tin can have a big impact on the final result. For a soft blended effect, endeavor a blending stump.
"Subsequently each lite layer, I very gently blend the coloured pencils with the stump," says Healy. "Don't push too hard or the colour volition stick, making it more than difficult to softly blend. I echo this process every bit often as I need. Later on many layers it produces a very soft and fragile wait."
This technique requires a picayune trial and error, though. Healy warns that if you blend also softly, the stump can option upward colour that you've already layered on the paper.
Avant-garde tips
xx. Unify your colours
Having a uniform approach to color will help bring cohesiveness to your work. "Information technology's a good idea to brand certain that your artwork has unifying colours," says Healy. "This consists of a particular colour palette, mood and a way of spreading these beyond the entire fine art piece."
She also suggests creating a harmonious base past using tinted paper or adding a background wash of colour (in paint). "This will bear witness through whatever you lay downwards on top of it, thus giving it an appearance of cohesion. When I use coloured pencils, I'm fond of using tinted paper produced by Kraft."
21. Try different approaches to outlines
The next cartoon technique concerns line weight. Also as demarcating dissimilar objects, lines can help emphasise shadows. "Thicker lines tin fade and disappear into the shadows, which tin can aid convey the 3D course," explains Chiu.
Beyond that, different artists accept different approaches to lines – you demand to find the mode that'south correct for you lot. "I prefer to use a distinct outline in my artwork, whether it's using thin outlines or bold outlines," says Healy. "It can assistance pinpoint the viewer'due south middle to a certain surface area. It also gives a stylised wait, if that'south what you are hoping to achieve."
Chiu, however, prefers a dissimilar approach. "I try to avoid outlining my drawings because this tends to make things look flat and deadens the 3D effect. Breaks and spaces in my lines show form in the lights and shadows."
22. Draw on your own experiences
"Dip into your experiences to add a special layer of authenticity to your piece," suggests Healy. "This ways using something like a memory, feeling or scent when creating your work. For instance, the special feeling you lot experienced when sitting down with a friend at a java shop, or a memory of a childhood feel. You lot can be abstract or employ hyperrealism. Whatsoever you lot choose makes the piece unique to you. I've found that people resonate with these pieces the most."
23. Use contrasting concepts
1 cartoon technique Healy uses in her work is to use contrasting concepts within a piece of work, for example, juxtaposing dazzler and ugliness. "I'll use the dazzler of colours, flowers, the softness of skin or hair, and the female form. I'll too tend to use something that's the reverse to all of that, such every bit bones, insects, abrupt teeth, or anything that may provide discomfort to the viewer," she elaborates. "Somehow this provides an interesting concept to a slice. Especially when the 'ugly' parts are harder to spot at kickoff. To me this is a very stark representation of what life is similar."
24. Try combining pencils with watercolour
While pencils on their own can be used to create a wealth of different furnishings, information technology can be interesting to combine them with other media. For instance, in her work, Healy likes to combine watercolour and coloured pencils. It'south of import to start with watercolour then layer coloured pencils on top, she explains, because pencils tin can create a waxy surface that repels liquid, and prevents the watercolour from soaking into the paper.
"This is a fun technique to test out," she says. "Both mediums have unique qualities and textures. Combining the ii elements creates a medium all of its own."
Also read: The best watercolour pencils you tin purchase right now
25. Break out of your comfort zone
While these pencil drawing techniques should help you empathise the essentials of the medium, sometimes you lot need to throw the rules out of the window and find what works for you. "There's aught wrong with stepping exterior of the box if it ways achieving the effect y'all want," says Healy. "Trial and error will occur when yous step outside of that box. But don't be intimidated! The process is entirely fun."
26. Create textile
Cloth tin range from sleek and shiny to matte and tedious. How you shade it will aid sell the idea of the material y'all're trying to depict. For this sketch, von Reuden is trying to capture the gilded folds of fabric found in the original image. He began past outlining the shapes and blocking out areas of shadow.
27. Categorise your fabric
Von Reuden explains how you lot can add value and shading to create farther layers of depth and weight. He says, "when drawing and recreating fabric, the types of wrinkles created can all be placed under three separate categories: hanging/relaxed, stretched/tension, and scrunched/compressed."
"Hanging fabric tends to exist loose and take a flowing advent. Stretched cloth creates long lines, usually with a point of support. Compressed fabrics bunch into each other, creating scrunched-looking areas."
Some of this advice comes from ImagineFX , the world'south best-selling mag for digital artists. Subscribe here .
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Source: https://www.creativebloq.com/art/drawing-techniques-7-fundamentals-pencil-drawing-71621181
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